CA Supreme Court Says Police License Plate Data Is Public
Data that law enforcement collects indiscriminately from license plate readers on millions of motorists are not police "investigative records" that may be kept secret from the public, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday.
Data that law enforcement collects indiscriminately from license plate readers on millions of motorists are not police "investigative records" that may be kept secret from the public, the California Supreme Court ruled Thursday, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The court further ruled, though, that a lower court should weigh whether release of redacted data — leaving out individual license plate numbers — would serve a greater public interest than withholding the information.
The justices said they agreed with a lower court ruling that releasing the raw data, which could be used to identify individuals, should not be disclosed.
The 18-page opinion stems from a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles but is likely to have implications throughout the state, including San Diego County where there has been at least one legal challenge to an agency's refusal to release license plate reader data.
The American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who sued the Los Angeles County Sheriff's and Los Angeles Police departments in 2013 for access to the raw data, called the state Supreme Court's ruling a victory.
More Point of Law
Point of Law: The Limits of Electronic Searches
Can an individual be prosecuted for despicable criminal conduct based on evidence obtained in violation of the United States Constitution? Ultimately, the Ninth Circuit judges wrote, “In the circumstances of this case (United States v. Holcomb, 23-469 (9th Cir. 2025)), respect for the Constitution and the rule of law requires an answer of “no.”
Read More →
Trump Issues Order Cutting Federal Funding in Cashless Bail Jurisdictions
<strong>“</strong>Cashless bail policies allow dangerous individuals to immediately return to the streets and further endanger law-abiding, hard-working Americans because they know our laws will not be enforced,” the administration said.
Read More →Justice Department Sues Los Angeles Over Sanctuary Policies
The DOJ said in a press release that the “sanctuary city” policies of the City of Los Angeles are illegal under federal law.
Read More →
Understanding Officer-Created Jeopardy
Officers can be criminally prosecuted for using force when their actions led to escalation during contact with subjects.
Read More →
Point of Law: The Limitations of Search Warrants
In the Tenth Circuit case of Cuervo v. Sorenson, the Court ruled officers cannot deviate from the language of the warrant.
Read More →DOJ Dismisses Consent Decrees Affecting Louisville and Minneapolis Police
The Civil Rights Division will be taking all necessary steps to dismiss the Louisville and Minneapolis lawsuits with prejudice, to close the underlying investigations into the Louisville and Minneapolis police departments.
Read More →New Michigan Bill would Give Officers Civil Immunity in Self-Defense Cases
House Bill 4404 would create a presumption of civil immunity for individuals who are cleared criminally after using force in self-defense, shifting the burden of proof onto plaintiffs.
Read More →Seattle to Pay Police Captain $1 Million to Settle Lawsuit
Seattle police Capt. Eric Greening sued former Chief Adrian Diaz last year alleging that Diaz retaliated when Greening brought up concerns about racial and gender discrimination.
Read More →Washington Agencies Ordered to Not Delete Critical Facebook Contents
Jim Leighty, a local activist, filed two federal lawsuits last year claiming both agencies deleted or hid critical comments he had written below multiple posts, while keeping comments that were pro-police in nature.
Read More →Washington State Attorney General Sues Sheriff for Helping Immigration Enforcement
The lawsuit claims the Adams County Sheriff’s Office has illegally held people in custody based only on their immigration status, helped federal agents question people in custody, and given immigration officials confidential personal information.
Read More →